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Worry is a Useless Emotion

Worry is a useless emotion. I live by that quote, but I didn’t always. There is a path we are all told to travel in order to achieve “success” in life.

Graduate high school

Go to college

Get your dream job

Buy a house

Get married

Start a family

Grow old

That’s what our parents want for us, and usually in that order. Seems pretty straightforward right? I have tripped on some obstacles and run into some big forks in the road on this path of life. My path has been bumpy, but it’s the way I have navigated through and over these hurdles that defines who I am. Why waste time worrying when we can spend time doing? Worry is a useless emotion.

I began my undergraduate studies at Illinois State University before crashing hard into the first obstacle along my path. I chose to learn about, deal with, and handle the mental health issues that halted my first attempt at college rather than let them consume me. Worry is a useless emotion. Instead of worrying about something I could take control of, I did something about it instead. I left school in my senior year because I needed a schedule. I needed help keeping my day in order, and a career was safer for me than trying on my own in school. Seven years into that career I was comfortable enough to pursue my ultimate dream, which was earning a college degree and I arrived at DePaul.

Another bump in the road then hit. This detour on my life path was positive, so I didn’t worry. Why? Because worry is a useless emotion. I was promoted at work, which needed my full attention. College took another backseat. Three years and two career changes later, I had another choice. I could worry about my future or I could mold it myself. There was no time to waste energy on worrying.

So here I am. I am a senior at DePaul and a full time student. I have always been passionate about writing, and I originally went to college to pursue a career in journalism. When the newspaper industry started to see rapidly declining circulation due to the ease of access to information on the Internet, I met another fork in the road of life. I chose to take courses this quarter that would broaden my knowledge of where a journalism degree could take me other than the narrow path of news reporting. I have a background working in the corporate world, and corporate communications is a field I feel could use my expertise. I also have looked at public affairs and copywriting.

I am not worrying about my future. I am creating it. I own a home with my fiancée, we have two dogs, and I have the world ahead of me. Worry is a useless emotion. I’m done worrying. I’m here to get things done.